SUMMER 2014
LIKE SOn, LIKE FATHER PAGE 4
Diagnosed with leukemia, Kim Hammond turned to the University of Chicago Medicine, where his son, Carter, had just finished treatment for the disease.
InSIDE PAGE 3
Celebrity Chef’s Recipe for a 150-Pound Weight Loss PAGE 8
Stem Cell Transplant without a Match PAGE 9
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery for Metastatic Cancer
The University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences has been at the forefront of medical care, research and teaching for more than 90 years. Located in historic Hyde Park on the South Side
GREETInGS FROM THE FOREFROnT OF MEDICInE
of Chicago, the University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences includes: Patient Care » Bernard A. Mitchell Hospital » Center for Care and Discovery » Comer Children’s Hospital » Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine » Numerous outpatient locations throughout the Chicago area Teaching Programs » Pritzker School of Medicine » Master’s and doctoral degree programs » Postdoctoral programs Research » Medical and basic science units Among our many honors and acknowledgments: 12 Nobel laureates; ranked 11th of all U.S. medical schools; one of only 41 National Cancer Institute–designated comprehensive cancer centers; ranked fifth in nation for National Institutes of Health grant support per researcher. University of Chicago Medicine & Biological
This issue features inspiring stories of patients who found more options for treatment when they turned to the University of Chicago Medicine for comprehensive cancer care.
Sciences Executive Leadership Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD, Dean of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, and executive vice president for Medical
With more than 330
a Florida beach because spine surgery
Sharon O’Keefe, president of the
cancer clinical trials,
averted paralysis during his fight against
University of Chicago Medical Center
innovative therapies
metastatic prostate cancer. Daniela
and world-class
Lakosilova finished her first year of college
research programs, the
after undergoing an innovative stem cell
University of Chicago
transplant for relapsed leukemia, even
Affairs for the University of Chicago
Jeffrey Glassroth, MD, dean for clinical affairs, University of Chicago Medicine T. Conrad Gilliam, PhD, dean for basic science, Biological Sciences Division Holly J. Humphrey, MD, dean for medical education, Pritzker School of Medicine ImagIne IS PUbLISHED THREE TIMES A YEAR bY THE UnIvERSITY OF CHICAGO
Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
though she did not have a full-match
offers a level of expertise not found at
donor. And following participation in
most other medical centers.
a clinical trial for ovarian cancer, Allison
MEDICInE & bIOLOGICAL SCIEnCES. Editor: Anna Madrzyk Assistant Editor: Gretchen Rubin Email us at: imagineeditor@uchospitals.edu Design: TOKY Branding + Design Contributing writers Thea Grendahl Christou, Tanya Cochran, John Easton, Kevin Jiang, Brooke O’Neill,
Sharpe is mentoring other women fighting In this issue of Imagine, we feature
the disease.
inspiring stories of patients who found hope — and more options for
Also on the cancer front, we bring you
treatment — when they turned to the
news about a targeted therapy for an
University of Chicago Medicine for
aggressive childhood cancer and our
comprehensive cancer care.
expanding services for breast cancer.
Kim Hammond is receiving a novel
Thank you for your interest in the
treatment that targets an uncommon
University of Chicago Medicine, and best
form of leukemia. Tim Collins walked on
wishes for a healthy summer.
Gretchen Rubin and Matt Wood Contributing photographers David Christopher, Megan E. Doherty, Carolina Hidalgo, Robert Kozloff, Jean Lachat and Bruce Powell ADDRESS The University of Chicago Medicine 5841 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL 60637 The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital 5721 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL 60637 Telephone 1-773-702-1000 Appointments 1-888-824-0200 Follow the University of Chicago Medicine on Twitter at twitter.com/UChicagoMed or
ShAron o’KEEfE President of the University of Chicago Medical Center
visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/ UChicagoMed. You can read more about our news and research at uchospitals.edu/news and at sciencelife.uchospitals.edu. This publication does not provide medical advice or treatment suggestions. If you have medical problems or concerns, contact a physician, who will determine your treatment. Do not delay seeking medical advice because of something you read here. For urgent needs, call 911 right away. Read Imagine online at uchospitals.edu/imagine.
KEnnETh S. PoLonSKy, MD Dean of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, and executive vice president for Medical Affairs for the University of Chicago
AT THE FOREFROnT OF CAnCER CARE
Susan L. Cohn, MD, and Alyssa Kirk, Rn, bSn
BrEAST CAnCEr CArE
nEUroBLASToMA
Offering Compassionate and Convenient Care for All Your breast Health needs
Providing Hope Closer to Home for Children with Rare Cancer
From prevention to diagnosis and from therapy to survivorship, we have the expertise and advanced tools to provide comprehensive care for all types of breast cancer. ThE BrEAST hEALTh SPECIALISTS AT ThE UnIvErSITy of ChICAGo MEDICInE CoMPrEhEnSIvE CAnCEr CEnTEr ProvIDE:
Advanced Detection and Diagnostic Techniques:
Digital mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to uncover early stages of the disease. Leading Edge radiation Treatments: Our radiation
therapy options minimize the impact of radiation on healthy tissue. We now offer hypofractionated radiotherapy — fewer, larger radiation therapy doses delivered in half the time, providing a more convenient and less costly alternative to standard treatment. Clinical Trials: Breast cancer
clinical trials that study the effectiveness and safety of new approaches to cancer prevention, detection and treatment. Some of these trials are offered at only a few select centers in the country.
Surgical Expertise: State-
of-the-art surgical procedures, including skin-sparing mastectomy, nipple-sparing mastectomy, immediate breast reconstruction, oncoplastic reconstruction and sentinel lymph node biopsy. We’re one of the few hospitals in the country offering lymphovenous bypass and lymph node transfer for lymphedema, a side effect of breast cancer surgical treatment. Support and resources:
Support services begin at diagnosis and continue through treatment and wellnessfocused care. Programs include preventive screenings, genetic testing at the Cancer Risk Clinic, support groups, a cancer resource center, a sexual health clinic and a survivorship program. AT ThE forEfronT now offering same-day breast screenings and same-week diagnostic mammograms. Call 773-795-9723 to schedule.
The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital is the first medical center in Illinois to offer a highdose, targeted radiation therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma. The hospital is one of only about a dozen across the country equipped to administer I131-MIBG therapy, which requires highly specialized staff and a dedicated, lead-lined patient room. Neuroblastoma is a cancerous tumor that begins in the nerve cells of infants and young children. The therapy combines MIBG — a molecule that is actively absorbed by neuroblastoma cells — and radioactive iodine to target and attack tumor cells without harming normal cells. The treatment is administered through the child’s IV. The infusion takes about two hours, but children stay in the hospital for three to five days while the radiation leaves their bodies. “I131-MIBG therapy is not a cure-all, but it is one step in a complex treatment plan for relapsed or difficult-totreat neuroblastoma,” said hematologist/oncologist Susan L. Cohn, MD, noting that it is
also being tested for newly diagnosed high-risk disease. Alyssa Kirk, RN, BSN, collaborates with Cohn in providing the advanced treatment to pediatric patients. Because it involves radioactive medication, special precautions are taken to safeguard families and staff. Kirk orients parents on what to expect while their child is treated in the dedicated MIBG therapy room and trains them to be the primary caregivers during their child’s stay. “Nurses are limited to brief visits because, over time, they will be exposed to radiation while caring for multiple patients,” Kirk said. “Our biggest role is to make sure that parents are getting what they need so they can safely provide their child with the best care.” Parents’ time in the room also is restricted, but a closedcircuit TV monitoring system and iPads allow them to stay in constant communication with their child. Child life specialists help families keep their children entertained throughout their stay. For more information, visit uchicagokidshospital. org/mibg
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Imagine that! E-CIGArETTES CUE ToBACCo USErS To LIGhT UP CoMInG To wITh CoffEE
Caffeine may help people wake up from a deeper kind of sleep than their usual 6 a.m. wake-up call: general anesthesia. University of Chicago Medicine researchers tested caffeine and two other drugs that seemed to reverse the effects of anesthetics. All three drugs decreased waking times in animal models, but caffeine performed the best. “Caffeine is safe and inexpensive,” said Aaron Fox, PhD, professor of neurobiology, pharmacology, and physiology, and one of the authors of the study, published in the Journal of Neurophysiology. “It’s possible that it could become the standard procedure in humans in 10 years.” The researchers believe caffeine may also undo the grogginess that can linger for hours after general anesthesia.
Only a few decades ago, Americans could smoke just about wherever they wanted. After years of intense pressure from public health and antismoking movements, this behavior is far from the norm today. But do e-cigarettes have the potential to respark smoking as a public activity? E-cigarettes, or electronic cigarettes, heat a variety of compounds, flavorings and nicotine into a vapor that can be inhaled and exhaled like normal cigarette smoke. In a study published in Tobacco Control, Andrea King, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago Medicine, and her team investigated the behavioral effects of exposure to e-cigarette use in a controlled setting. They discovered that seeing people use e-cigarettes increases the urge to smoke among regular cigarette users, and that this elevated desire is as strong as when observing someone smoking a combustible cigarette. AT ThE forEfronT AUTISM–EnvIronMEnT LInK
READ MORE In SCIEnCE LIFE: a blog of news and ideas in biomedicine sciencelife. uchospitals.edu
Evidence linking environmental factors to autism and intellectual disability has been found by University of Chicago researchers. Scientists compared the incidence of autism and intellectual disability with the rate of genital malformations in newborn males, an indicator of possible congenital exposure to harmful environmental factors such as pesticides. Analysis of 100 million U.S. medical records found that autism rates — after adjustment for several other factors — jump by 283 percent for every 1 percent increase in frequency of malformations. Intellectual disability rates increase by 94 percent. “We interpret the results of this study as a strong environmental signal,” said Andrey Rzhetsky, PhD, professor of medicine and human genetics and one of the authors of the study, published in PLOS Computational Biology.
ChILD CArE hUrDLE
Child care demands may pose a barrier to young mothers seeking breast cancer therapy. Despite evidence supporting the effectiveness of radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery, women with young children are less likely to follow through with the treatment. Ya-Chen Tina Shih, PhD, associate professor of medicine and an expert on health economics, and her colleagues analyzed data from more than 21,000 women aged 20 to 64 who had the surgery. The University of Chicago Medicine researchers found that patients with at least one child younger than 7 years old were significantly less likely to receive radiation therapy than their counterparts with older or no children. “Younger patients may be confronted by unique challenges that warrant more attention in future research,” Shih concluded in the study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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CELEbRITY CHEF’S RECIPE FOR A 150-POUnD WEIGHT LOSS
AT ThE forEfronT
Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity » Exceptional, compassionate
no one trusts a skinny chef, the old joke goes. but celebrity chef Graham Elliot’s waistline was no laughing matter. A year ago, Elliot — the nationally known chef and judge of Fox’s “Master Chef ” competitive cooking show — weighed almost 400 pounds. “I had hypertension, sleep apnea, gout, constant aches and pains,” Elliot said. “I was headed for disaster.” Elliot, 37, had been thinking about obesity surgery, but wasn’t ready to take the next step. When he met Vivek N. Prachand, MD, director of minimally invasive surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine, the two connected immediately. before
So Prachand suggested a smaller operation, the gastric sleeve. This reduces the stomach to the size and shape of a small banana, but doesn’t interfere with nutrient uptake or digestion. “It was a reasonable way to start,” Prachand said. “If it wasn’t sufficient, we could follow it with the rest of the duodenal switch later.” After extensive evaluation, discussion and counseling, Elliot underwent obesity surgery in July 2013. He was an ideal patient. He recovered quickly, changed the way he eats and became a role model for routine exercise. Four months later, he ran a respectable 5K, the Ditka Dash. By Christmas, he no longer needed to wear a CPAP mask for sleep apnea. By March 2014, his weight was
and multidisciplinary care
» All four major surgical options for the treatment of obesity
» Approximately 200 complex laparoscopic bariatric procedures in the last year
» Nationally recognized experts in the treatment of super-obesity (BMI>50)
» Monthly support group sessions led by psychology team; open to all
» Committed to lifelong followup of patients who undergo surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine
To learn more, see our patient webinar: uchospitals.edu/ bariatric-surgery/info-session
After
Graham Elliot keeps bananas in the fridge to remind him just how small his stomach is now. “He’s a foodie,” Elliot said. “He understood my situation as a chef.” Elliot fit the criteria for a duodenal switch, a major operation that is often the best choice for patients with a PRACHAND BMI over 50 as well as metabolic problems. But patients who have the procedure lose some of their capacity to process dietary fats. “This could interfere with his profession,” Prachand said. Multiple small tastings are central to Elliot’s work.
below 250 pounds, his blood pressure nearly normal and his cholesterol levels much improved. By April, his BMI was in the 27–29 range — overweight but not obese — and still falling. “When you start out above 50,” Prachand said, “29 is fantastic. Graham is where we want him to be right now. He’s motivated and committed to functional fitness.” “I owe my life, literally, to Dr. Prachand and the team here,” Elliot said. Before the surgery, he couldn’t run and play sports with his three young sons. “But now I’m able to enjoy life a lot more and be a better chef, dad and husband.”
Chef’s new menu A typical dinner for Graham Elliot is salmon or chicken, with salad or vegetables. He has eliminated almost all bread, pasta, soda and beer from his diet, but he still has a sweet tooth. For a simple dessert, he has fresh fruit with cottage cheese or apple slices dipped in peanut butter. “I now look at food as fuel and focus on my protein intake,” Elliot said. “I’m in love with ‘pure’ flavors, things that are natural and delicious, minimally fussed with, that showcase the season. I combine that with portion control.”
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SLAM DUnK
Kim Hammond and son Carter
Soon after his young son finished chemotherapy, Kim Hammond was diagnosed with a different form of leukemia.
The Hammond family had barely unpacked the boxes in their new home when their son, Carter, then 7, started feeling weak and short of breath. The diagnosis: acute lymphocytic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer.
He knew exactly where he wanted to turn: the cancer experts at the University of Chicago Medicine.
“It shakes you to your core,” said father Kim Hammond, 39, who had relocated with his wife and three sons from their native Australia to the far western suburbs a month earlier.
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“We had to make a decision very quickly: stay here or go home?” After meeting the pediatric hematology/oncology team at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, they decided to stay. For nearly four years, Carter received chemotherapy under the care of pediatric oncology team members Jennifer McNeer, MD, MS, Charles Rubin, MD, and Kelly Kramer, RN, MSN, CPNP, CPON.
We fell in love with the people. You’re in the hands of experts who deal with this disease every day.
WHERE TO FIND US FOR CANCER CARE ADULTS
The University of Chicago Medicine HyDE PARK
“We fell in love with the people,” Hammond said. “You’re in the hands of experts who deal with this disease every day.” In October 2013, the Hammonds traveled to Disney World to celebrate their son being officially cancer-free. A month later, the unimaginable happened. “I started to feel unwell,” Hammond recalled. A local doctor diagnosed him with bronchitis, but his fatigue grew worse. Soon, dark red spots, the same kind Carter once had, appeared on his chest. In January, it was confirmed: Kim also had leukemia. His diagnosis, a rare type known as acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), bears no known genetic connection to his son’s form of the disease. Because APL’s malignant cells can cause severe bleeding, patients run a risk of dying if not treated immediately. Hammond was rushed to the University of Chicago Medicine in an ambulance. “If we even suspect APL, we start treatment as early as possible,” explained Hongtao Liu, MD, PhD, the hematologist/oncologist treating Hammond. The therapy is a form of vitamin A called all-trans retinoic acid along with arsenic trioxide. Unlike
traditional chemotherapy, which kills off cancer cells, this treatment enables abnormal cells to mature into near-normal ones. It’s less toxic and causes fewer side effects than chemotherapy. “It’s one of the best examples of targeted cancer therapies,” said Richard A. Larson, MD, who heads UChicago Medicine’s Hematologic Malignancies Clinical Research Program. If treated quickly, he said, nearly every patient with typical APL enters remission. “APL has changed from one of the most lethal leukemias to one of the most curable ones.” The Hammond family is grateful for the care they received halfway around the globe from their home. “I’m glad we’ve both been able to be at the University of Chicago Medicine,” said Hammond, an author and speaker who, despite some uncomfortable side effects, has continued to travel for work during weeks he is not having therapy. He completes his cancer treatment this fall. Hammond added: “There’s a trust in knowing the physicians and researchers are always continuing to learn and give the best treatment in the world.”
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center at Silver Cross Hospital NEW LENOx, ILL.
Other locations: Schererville, Ind. GyNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGy
Advocate Sherman Hospital, Elgin, Ill. RADIATION ONCOLOGy
University of Illinois Cancer Center, Chicago RADIATION ONCOLOGy
PEDIATRICS
The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital HyDE PARK
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center at Silver Cross Hospital NEW LENOx, ILL.
Additional office locations: NAPERvILLE, ILL. PALOS HEIGHTS, ILL. MERRILLvILLE, IND.
AT THE FOREFRONT
A series of discoveries by scientists at the University of Chicago almost four decades ago paved the way for today’s targeted treatments for cancer, including Kim Hammond’s type of leukemia. In 1977, UChicago researchers identified the chromosome abnormality responsible for acute promyelocytic leukemia.
Our researchers also were involved in clinical trials to develop and refine the tailored treatment that Hammond is receiving.
“APL has changed from one of the most lethal leukemias to one of the most curable ones.”
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute–designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S.
RICHARD A. LARSON, MD
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ConfronTInG
OvARIAN CANCER Allison Sharpe
Right from the get-go, Allison got the right type of care. Symptoms of ovarian cancer are subtle: fatigue, bloating, abdominal pain, feeling full. Many women are not alarmed by the vague discomforts or blame them on other causes. As a result, ovarian cancer typically is not diagnosed until it has spread. For Allison Sharpe, mother of two and director of medical staff services for a Chicago hospital, everyday life was hectic, stressful and exhausting. “I was concerned about my extreme tiredness, but I didn’t realize it could be related to an illness,” said the resident of Valparaiso, Ind. Then a spring 2011 visit to University of Chicago Medicine obstetrician/gynecologist Iris Romero, MD, MS, led to a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Romero referred Sharpe, then 48, to her colleague, Ernst Lengyel, MD, PhD, an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic malignancies. “Ovarian cancer should be treated only by a specialist in cancers of the female reproductive system,” Romero stressed. “Here, our gynecologic teams are closely integrated, and this greatly benefits the patients. Right from the get-go, Allison got the right type of care.”
Ernst Lengyel, MD, PhD, and S. Diane Yamada, MD
An ESTIMATED
22,240 woMEn wErE DIAGnoSED wITh ovArIAn CAnCEr In 2013.
Although studies have shown that ovarian cancer patients have better surgical outcomes and survival rates when a gynecologic oncologist coordinates their care,
OnLY 30 PERCEnT of woMEn wITh ThE DISEASE SEEK oUT SPECIALTy CArE.
Lengyel performed the standard “debulking” procedure for ovarian cancer — a complete hysterectomy and removal of lymph nodes, appendix and the omentum (the fat pad that covers the bowel). This surgery has two primary goals: to stage the cancer and to remove as much disease as possible. “We strive to leave behind no residual tumor,” Lengyel said, explaining that successful debulking (also referred to as optimal debulking) has proven to increase survival rates for patients. After Sharpe recovered from surgery, Lengyel told her that although the cancer had spread, his team removed the entire baseball-sized mass on her ovary and all visible evidence of tumor. Chemotherapy was the next step in comprehensive care for the disease. He recommended that she enroll in an ongoing national clinical trial testing a refinement to the standard treatment strategy. Sharpe received outpatient intravenous chemotherapy over a five-month period. This was followed by 15 months of maintenance therapy on bevacizumab, a drug that is thought to work by blocking the formation of blood vessels that feed tumors. Results from this trial, which is now closed, are pending. Today, Sharpe is an active advocate for ovarian cancer awareness and a mentor to other patients. “I encourage women diagnosed with ovarian cancer not to give up and to continue to have hope, just as my doctor encouraged me,” she said.
Read more of Allison’s story at uchospitals.edu/allison-ovarian
The ovarian cancer medical team at the University of Chicago Medicine includes: » Gynecologic oncologists » Medical oncologists » Abdominal surgeons » Radiologists » Pathologists
» Genetic counselors » Gynecologists » Radiation oncologists » Psychologists » Social workers
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nO MATCH, bUT A FULL RECOvERY In recent years, haplo-cord transplant has widened the option of stem cell transplantation to nearly all patients for whom the procedure was not previously available. UChicago Medicine was one of the first in the country to offer this innovative technique. Daniela underwent the transplant in November 2012, receiving the half-matched cells from her father, Petr Lakosil. Although she experienced several complications, her medical team successfully addressed each problem. And while Daniela spent much of her senior year in the hospital, she kept up with her studies, frequently attending class via FaceTime on an iPad. “Even though I missed a lot of school, I could see my friends’ faces,” she said. “It was nice to hear them say ‘hi’ to me.” Daniela was able to join her classmates for senior ditch day and dance at her prom. She graduated in the top 10 percent of her Norridge, Ill., high school class and is now attending college.
Daniela Lakosilova
When Daniela Lakosilova relapsed from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), her doctors told her a stem cell transplant offered the best chance for a cure. But because she is an only child, Daniela did not have a full-match donor in her family. And although millions of potential donors are listed on the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registry, there wasn’t a suitable match for the then-high school junior.
According to John M. Cunningham, MD, director of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, up to 50 percent of children and adults do not find a match on the NMDP. Cunningham told Daniela that she was a candidate for a new alternative treatment called haplo-cord CUNNINGHAM transplant. This novel technique, investigated and successfully refined at UChicago Medicine, combines cells from a half-matched (haploidentical) related donor — a parent, for example — and well-matched, unrelated umbilical cord blood.
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Cunningham said Daniela’s prognosis is outstanding. Now past the one-year mark, the risk of relapse is very low. After two years, there is less than a 5 percent chance that the cancer will return.
Influenced by an art therapist who helped her cope with her illness, Daniela plans to pursue a psychology degree and a career in art therapy. LIKE US on fACEBooK facebook.com/ UChicagoMedComer
ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE
Tim Collins
Seven weeks after undergoing surgery on a spinal tumor that threatened to paralyze him, Tim Collins grabbed his book and his folding chair and headed to the beach near his condominium on Marco Island, Fla. “The pain was gone when I woke up from the surgery,” said Collins, 61, a semi-retired sales executive from the western suburbs of Chicago. “And I went back to work the following week. Now, I am enjoying another day in paradise.” In early spring, an MRI scan taken during his treatment for prostate cancer revealed a tumor compressing Collins’ spinal cord at the T4 vertebra. The spine is a common site for metastases (cancer that has spread to distant sites in the body) in patients with prostate, lung or breast cancer. Collins had pain that radiated from his back around the front of his chest, but thought he had pulled a muscle. “The tumor was destroying structures in the spine that are needed for stability,” said neurosurgeon Edwin Ramos, MD, an expert in oncological and complex spine surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine.
“Without treatment, the condition would have progressed quickly to paralysis.” Ramos performed minimally invasive surgery to remove the portion of the tumor compressing the spinal cord and to reconstruct the spine, using titanium screws and rods, in order to restore stability. “Minimally invasive techniques enable us to access the tumor through smaller incisions and with less disruption to the muscles attached to the spine,” Ramos explained. “The patient has less blood loss, reduced pain and a faster recovery.” University of Chicago Medicine oncologist Russell Szmulewitz, MD, said Ramos’ unique expertise
allowed Collins to move on to the next phases of his treatment — radiation and chemotherapy — and take a vacation in between. “In the past, my patients with this condition had open surgery, were hospitalized for many days and then underwent rehabilitation for many weeks,” said Szmulewitz, who specializes in the treatment of urologic cancers. Innovations to radiation therapy, chemotherapy and other treatment methods are extending function, quality of life and survival time for many patients battling metastatic prostate cancer. “Surgery is playing a more significant role in the management of tumors that have spread to the spine,” Ramos said.
| LEFT |
Edwin Ramos, MD
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Water for the Long Run
GET MOvInG WITH US
When it comes to longer training runs and races, water is the most vital nutrient. Even a small change in an athlete’s hydration status can affect the runner’s endurance, performance and health. Our orthopaedic experts offer these tips for staying well hydrated: KEEP IT SIMPLE
Stick to water with electrolyte beverages. Avoid drinks with caffeine, which can be dehydrating. fLUID ChECK
At minimum, drink as many ounces of water daily as your weight in kilograms. For a 150-pound runner, that’s approximately 70 ounces. To replace additional fluids lost during training: Weigh yourself (without clothes) before and after running. Calculate each pound lost as 16 fluid ounces, then add in the fluid you drank while exercising. This is how much fluid you lost. Plan to hydrate proactively during your next run. DrInK ALL DAy
It’s better to pace your fluid consumption than to guzzle a large amount of water just before running. For runs that are 60 minutes or longer, you need to hydrate during the run. If it’s hot or humid, drink water and electrolyte beverages no matter the duration. yoU CAn TAKE IT wITh yoU
You won’t find water stations on most of your training runs, so choose a device — such as a bottle, belt or backpack — that enables you to bring fluids along. You will run better if you are properly hydrated. This UCM Medical Minute is presented by the Orthopaedics Center at the University of Chicago Medicine for the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA).
Read more tips from our physicians on the CARA website at bit.ly/1i1dxUM
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Step Up to the Plate The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital is the official sponsor of White Sox Family Sundays, featuring family-friendly pricing for 13 Sunday home games. Our volunteers will be at U.S. Cellular Field with fun activities to get kids moving on the following Power Up All Stars Sundays:
JULy 20, AUG. 17 AnD SEPT. 14 Kids can learn more about making healthy food choices and giving their physical activity levels a boost by visiting powerup.
uchicagokidshospital.org
Ready, Set, Run!
SUnDAy, oCT. 5 9 AM Join us for the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital RbC Race for the Kids. Last year 1,700 runners and supporters came together to raise more than $310,000 for lifesaving pediatric research programs. This year’s event includes a CARAcertified 5K Run/Walk, Kids’ Dash and Kids’ Mile. Register today at
uchicagokidshospital.org/ programs/race
READY FOR
THE GREATEST CHALLEnGES Immunizing Teens to Prevent HPvAssociated Cancer The University of Chicago Medicine is teaming up with several organizations to promote HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines to adolescents in Chicagoarea schools. An estimated 33,000 HPV-associated cancers occur in the United States annually. Vaccines offer hope for prevention of HPVrelated cancers, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccination of girls and boys at ages 11 or 12.
UChicago Medicine, working with the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, EverThrive Illinois and the Chicago Department of Public Health, set out to address barriers, such as access to care, by offering at-school immunizations. More than 128 adolescents were immunized against HPV in the fall of 2013 alone through the program, led by a team from the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital.
Research Study for High-Risk breast Lesions
The University of Chicago Medicine offers specialized, leading-edge care for complex lung conditions.
Healthy volunteers age 18 and older are invited to participate in a paid research study to help us develop MRI methods to detect and evaluate high-risk breast lesions.
Our lung experts specialize in early detection and advanced diagnosis and treatment methods, including some procedures not widely available elsewhere, such as bronchial thermoplasty for severe, uncontrolled asthma.
For more information, visit uchospitals.edu/asthma-copd/rold
For the first time in 40 years, Mark Morrison had cake with frosting on his birthday. “Yellow cake with chocolate frosting,” he said. “I topped it with two scoops of ice cream, one vanilla and one chocolate.” Morrison, 56, who struggled with brittle type 1 diabetes for most of his life, had a pancreatic islet transplant at the University of Chicago Medicine in October 2013. The experimental procedure has been undergoing clinical trials at select centers in the United States, Canada and Europe for the past decade. Islets are tiny clusters of cells in the pancreas. Some of the cells produce insulin, which regulates blood sugar. For the transplant, donor islets are infused into a major blood vessel in the patient’s liver, where they start reproducing.
Helping Patients breathe Easier
The Refractory Obstructive Lung Disorders (ROLD) Clinic provides comprehensive assessment and treatment for adults who have difficult-to-control asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, chronic bronchitis and related conditions.
Having His Cake and Eating It, Too
To participate, you must have a University of Chicago Medicine physician and have been diagnosed with a high-risk breast lesion. These include atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). The study requires a one-time MRI of your breast. Compensation is $100, paid parking and a $10 food coupon upon completion. If you are interested in participating, please contact Sharon Harris in the Department of Radiology at 773-702-2777.
In just three weeks, Morrison no longer needed insulin injections. His physician, Piotr Witkowski, MD, PhD, director of pancreas and islet transplantation, last year initiated a clinical trial testing an anti-inflammatory medication to boost survival of donor islet cells during and after infusion. UChicago Medicine is the only U.S. site for the international multicenter trial. Morrison was among the first patients in the study. Morrison said the change in his life since the transplant has been “unbelievable.” Now a runner, he recently completed his first half-marathon.
Learn more about pancreatic islet transplants and eligibility for clinical trials at uchospitals.edu/ pancreas-islet
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‘MoST InnovATIvE’
bringing University of Chicago Medicine Expertise to northwest Indiana The University of Chicago Medicine and Franciscan Alliance’s master affiliation agreement creates a unique relationship between a prominent academic medical center and a leading regional health system.
The agreement focuses on the University of Chicago Medicine and Franciscan Alliance’s Northwest Indiana facilities, including Crown Point, Michigan City, Dyer, Hammond and Munster.
The move brings together two health care systems “that share both a dedication to excellence in patient care and a desire to develop new models of care in a rapidly changing health care marketplace,” said Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD, Dean of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine and executive vice president for Medical Affairs for the University of Chicago.
“By combining the world-class tertiary and quaternary care and research capabilities of the University of Chicago Medicine with Franciscan Alliance’s extensive network of community-based hospitals and ambulatory centers, we will enhance patient care locally and provide seamless access and continuity for patients needing care at any level,” said Kevin Leahy, Franciscan Alliance’s president and chief executive officer.
SAvE ThE DATES! ThE AMErICAn BrAIn TUMor ASSoCIATIon’S AnnUAL PATIEnT
I Know A SUPErhEro fAMILy fUn fESTIvAL SPonSorED By MESoThELIoMA hEroES foUnDATIon
AnD fAMILy ConfErEnCE JULy 25–26
SEPTEMBEr 20, 2014, noon To 10 PM
The Renaissance Chicago O’Hare Suites, 8500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago.
Mount Greenwood Park/ St. Christina Fields, 111th St. and Central Park Ave., Chicago
Participants will learn about the latest brain tumor treatment and research. For information, visit hope.abta.org.
Live music, softball and beanbag tournaments, children’s games. visit mesoheroes.org.
2nD AnnUAL CrUISIn’ for A CUrE JULy 19, 7:30 PM
Proceeds benefit the University of Chicago Medicine’s mesothelioma program.
Sponsored by the Michael Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation Young Professionals Board
BEyonD A MAMMoGrAM BrEAST CAnCEr wALK-A-Thon SEPTEMBEr 27, 2014, 8 AM
Cruise along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan on Chicago’s Leading Lady Cruise Boat
Harold Washington Park, 5200 S. Hyde Park Blvd., Chicago
Live music, tapas, silent auction. visit rolfefoundation.org. Proceeds benefit pancreatic cancer research.
Jessica J. Kandel, MD, surgeonin-chief for the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, was named one of the “20 Most Innovative Pediatric Surgeons Alive Today.” The list, published by Top Master’s in Healthcare Administration, recognizes physicians who have made noteworthy strides in areas of pediatric surgery. Kandel specializes in the treatment of pediatric cancers, including Wilms tumor, neuroblastoma and hepatoblastoma, as well as vascular abnormalities, such as hemangiomas.
AT ThE forEfronT of DIGESTIvE DISEASES
The Digestive Diseases Center at the University of Chicago Medicine is a multidisciplinary network of physicians, researchers and allied health professionals working together to improve the lives of patients who have digestive diseases. Celiac disease Esophageal, liver and pancreatic diseases Gastrointestinal cancer Inflammatory bowel disease Obesity We are committed to providing timely and optimal care for any patient with a disease involving the gastrointestinal tract.
$35 registration (includes T-shirt) visit beyondamammogram.com. Proceeds benefit breast cancer research at the University of Chicago Medicine.
12 » ThE UnIvErSITy of ChICAGo MEDICInE IMAGInE MAGAZInE | S U M M E R 2 0 1 4
For more information, visit uchospitals.edu/digestive-diseases
CLOSER TO A CURE FOR FOOD ALLERGIES
When Denise and David Bunning’s two sons were young, they experienced numerous life-threatening reactions to certain foods, including milk, eggs, tree nuts, shellfish and beef. Now young adults, the Bunnings’ children still need to be vigilant about food and carry a shot of epinephrine in case of allergic reaction. “Every reaction is a game of Russian roulette, hoping the drug stops the problem before a patient stops breathing,” said Denise Bunning. New research, though, is raising the Bunnings’ optimism that one day their children won’t face so much uncertainty and danger due to food allergies. At the helm of that research is University of Chicago immunologist Cathryn Nagler, PhD, who recently received a five-year, $1.95 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, along with additional funding from Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). Nagler has identified a new strain of “good” intestinal bacteria that may protect the body against allergic sensitization to food. The research, while in its early stages, could lead to new formulations that might prevent food allergy in infants or enhance the protection provided by other promising new treatments for food allergy, such as oral immunotherapy. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has documented an 18 percent increase in the prevalence of food allergies in children under 18 between 1997 and 2007,” Nagler said. “Environmental stimuli are changing the composition of the microbiota (the vast collection of microbes that inhabit our bodies), and in genetically susceptible individuals, this can predispose to food allergies.”
| L E F T | visitors
from Food Allergy Research & Education, from left, Mary Poland, Mackay Gunn and Jennifer Dues, meet with senior research technician Anuradha nadimpalli during a tour of immunologist Cathryn nagler’s lab.
Cathryn nagler, PhD
Dr. nagler’s insight into the bacteria in the gut may offer a solution to many affected by allergic disease, not just food allergy. The University is positioned to be a leader in microbiome research. Its state-of-the-art facility has been a catalyst for significant multidisciplinary partnerships among University of Chicago Medicine researchers, including Eugene Chang, MD, David T. Rubin, MD, and Bana Jabri, MD, PhD, who focus on inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. Reaching this point would not have been possible without multidisciplinary collaboration and philanthropic support from various donors, Nagler added. “FARE’s funding decisions are informed by its strategic research plan, with the overarching goal of investing in research that will lead to safe, effective new treatments — and ultimately a cure — for food allergy,” said John Lehr, CEO of FARE. “FARE’s support of Dr. Nagler’s work illustrates the success of this approach.” The Bunnings also are staunch supporters of Nagler’s work. In collaboration with FARE, the north suburban residents previously established the Bunning Food Allergy Professorship, held by Nagler, to advance research on, treatment for and education about children’s food allergies. “Dr. Nagler’s insight into the bacteria in the gut may offer a solution to many affected by allergic disease, not just food allergy,” added Denise Bunning. “We are thrilled and hopeful for the work she continues to do for the entire food-allergic community.”
For more information or to support food allergy research at the University of Chicago Medicine, please contact Kate Azizi at kazizi@mcdmail.uchicago.edu.
nOnPROFIT ORGAnIzATIOn U.S. POSTAGE PAID CAROL STREAM, IL PERMIT nO. 2003
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